Birthdays
by zoebrenn
Summary: It's Callen's birthday but will this year be any different to all the others?  Totally Nallen
1. Chapter 1

**So I was stuck in traffic this afternoon and this story randomly popped into my head. It was going to be a one-shot but after writing this first chapter there was so much more I wanted to explore so it's going to be a two or possibly three chapter story. I hope you enjoy. Zoe.**

Birthdays had never been anything special to G Callen. To him, they were just another day. Growing up in foster care and orphanages, kids just got lost and birthdays were rarely acknowledged.

Today was Callen's 43rd birthday and he treated it no differently to any other day. He woke, went for a run, stopped for breakfast and coffee then went to work. He didn't bother to check his mail box before he left because he had never received a birthday card before and never expected to either. When he had told his partner he had never had a birthday card, Sam had been surprised and had made a point of telling him he was going to give Callen one on his next birthday. It never came, but Callen didn't mind. Sam had his own way of celebrating Callen's birthday in the form of a dinner somewhere nice, usually where they served steak. It started in their second year as partners. Their first year, Sam didn't know when Callen's birthday was and by the time he found out the date had long passed. But every year since, Sam would take Callen out for a good meal and even better wine. This year would be different though. Sam was on another 'long weekend in Mexico' and wouldn't be back until Monday. Callen knew there would be a make-up dinner when Sam returned, but if he were honest with himself, he wasn't really bothered that he wouldn't be going out on his birthday.

As Callen settled himself at his desk, the first to arrive, he spotted an envelope on his desk. It was plain white with 'Callen' written in impossibly neat handwriting across the front. Callen put his coffee and breakfast down and picked up the envelope. Just because he had never received a birthday card, that didn't mean he didn't know what one looked like; he had given plenty of cards to others and did actually go into stores where they sold them. Callen took a quick glance around to see if anyone was waiting around to see him find it, but no-one was. He turned the envelope over and after pulling a letter opener from his desk drawer, he sliced it open and pulled out the contents. It was a bright blue card with a cartoon chimp holding a bunch of coloured balloons and the words 'Happy Birthday' written in red across the top. Intrigued to see who had given him his first ever birthday card (at least that he could remember because everything before the age of five was a mystery to him) he opened the card, his eyes widening. Written in the same neat handwriting as on the envelope were six simple words; _To Callen, Happy Birthday, From Nell_

The expression on Callen's face could only be described as one of confusion mixed with surprise. Not because Nell knew when his birthday was. He was pretty sure she knew everyone's personal information as well as all their dirty little secrets. And he really shouldn't be surprised that she had acknowledged it. After all, she hadn't even been with OSP a week before she threw Hetty a surprise birthday party and presented her with the perfect gift. So just why was he surprised, and also touched, that she had given him a card?

As he stared at the card in his hands, he heard Kensi and Deeks arriving. He could always hear them arriving when they car-pooled because after forty minutes stuck in a car with each other they would be bickering like children. As they neared the bullpen, he closed the card and slipped it into his desk drawer, not wanting to share it just yet, if at all.

"Morning Callen." Kensi greeted him.

"Hey man." Deeks nodded.

"Kensi. Deeks." Callen nodded. He took a quick peek in the drawer while Kensi and Deeks got themselves settled, a smile tugging at his lips as he laid eyes on the cheeky chimp and balloons. He would have to say something to Nell, let her know the gesture was appreciated. Rising to his feet, he started to head towards the stairs but stopped mid-step when he saw Eric appear at the top.

"Don't whistle, we're coming." Callen called up to him. Eric sighed and turned on his heels while Callen called over to Kensi and Deeks to follow him. When all three arrived in the ops centre, Nell was busy throwing up the new case files onto the big screen. As they walked in, she smiled a hello then returned to her work. She didn't ask Callen if he had gotten the card and she didn't say anything else about it being his birthday either. It would seem that she was content for her gesture to just be between the two of them. As Eric began explaining what was going on that required the team's attention, Callen realised talking to Nell was going to have to wait until later.

'Later' turned out to be nine hours later. The team's latest case hadn't been particularly challenging but it had resulted in the agents spending pretty much the entire day in the field. Returning only at the end of the day, OSP was already closing down for the weekend. Kensi and Deeks had made swift exits, both wanting to kick start their weekend. Callen on the other hand, whilst free to leave at any moment, was waiting. He knew Eric and Nell were still finishing up and he wanted to talk to Nell before he left. So he sat himself down at his desk and while he waited, he pulled out his birthday card. Running his fingers over the card and re-reading the message on the inside over and over, Callen couldn't understand just why such a cheap piece of what was essentially paper suddenly meant so much to him. Was it that he had actually been given a birthday card? Or was it the giver of the card? He didn't know Nell all that well but he liked her – she was always surprising him with the things she said or did and he was never bored in her company.

Callen was so engrossed in his thoughts, he almost missed her leaving.

"Hey Nell, wait up." He called when he caught sight of her disappearing down the hall past the bullpen. Grabbing his bag and jacket, Callen jogged to catch up to where Nell had stopped upon hearing her name.

"You need something?" she asked.

"I just wanted to say thank you." Callen smiled. "For the card." He held it up and saw Nell smile.

"You're welcome." She nodded.

"Heading straight home?" Callen asked as they began to walk to the exit.

"Yup."

"Got big plans?" Callen probed, an idea forming in his mind.

"No. It's been a long week. I'll probably just order take-out." Nell nodded as they stepped outside into the cool night air.

"You know, Sam and I usually go out for dinner on my birthday." Callen told her casually. "But he's kinda left me hanging tonight. Instead of take-out, what do you say to joining me for a decent meal …in a restaurant?" he glanced down at Nell as they walked, waiting for her reply. He could practically see the wheels turning in her head as she thought over the offer and he briefly wondered what it was she was thinking through.

"Sure." She finally replied. "Since Sam has ditched you for a diving trip, how can I possibly say no." she glanced up and flashed him a warm smile.

"You know Sam's not really on a diving trip." Callen told her as they reached her car first.

"Oh, I know." Nell winked and opened her car door. "So where are we going birthday boy?" she asked.

"Meet me at Yamashiro's in Hollywood, say 8.30?" Callen asked, glancing at his watch to make sure he had time to go home and get changed.

"Japanese, nice. I'll see you there." She replied as she got into her mini cooper.

As Nell drove away, Callen headed to his own car. This certainly wasn't turning out to be the birthday he had expected, but when you don't actually have any expectations, only good things can happen.

**Thanks for reading, I hope you leave a review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the first chapter. Here's the second installment and it's kinda sugary sweet (in my humble opinion) so be warned. Enjoy. Zoe.**

As Nell drove home, she thought about what just happened and what she was about to do. She had known from almost the moment she met him that she harboured feelings for the Senior Agent in Charge. How could any woman not, he was handsome, suave, intelligent, funny, witty and the first time she watched him in action in the field with his gun hunting down terrorists, her heart had fluttered at the sight of him, all super agenty and bad ass. But since she knew nothing could, or would, come of it, she kept her feelings buried deep. When she had left him the birthday card, she hadn't intended to garner any attention from it. It was a simple, understated birthday card for a man she admired and cared about. Yet here she was, rushing home to change so she could meet him for a birthday dinner because he had asked her to join him. Granted, she was a substitute Sam while he was on an undercover operation only Hetty was supposed to know about, but she was about to have dinner alone with a man she had tried to keep at arms length for her own sanity. She had a feeling things were about to get a little complicated.

Callen was waiting outside Yamashiros when Nell's cab pulled up at exactly 8.25pm. She noticed immediately he had dressed up for the occasion, donning a pair of smart inky blue jeans, a perfectly fitted black shirt and a black jacket. Nell glanced down at the simple black dress and cream cardigan she had chosen and hoped it was appropriate. He approached the cab as she got out and held the door while she stepped onto the sidewalk.

"Hey." He greeted her with a smile. "I've got a table waiting." He nodded as he led her towards the main door, a hand placed gently on her lower back.

Once inside, a waiter showed them to their table but half to an empty table in the middle of the restaurant Callen leaned forward and whispered something in the waiter's ear. The waiter quickly changed direction and led them to a different area of the restaurant and a table in the corner. Callen walked around the table and while the waiter pulled out Nell's seat at the side, Callen slipped into the chair in the corner where his back was to the wall and he could see the whole restaurant. She watched as he scanned the room, realising he had wanted this table so he could keep an eye on the crowd and this was probably something he did on a day to day basis as standard, given the line of work he was in. She accepted the menu the waiter handed her and immediately started scanning the contents, needing a little distraction. Surrounded by couples and sitting at a cosy table alone with Callen was starting to feel a little more like a date than dinner with a friend.

"Red or white?" Callen asked, snapping her from her thoughts.

"This is your dinner." She reminded him with a smile. Nodding her acceptance of his choice, Callen called the waiter over and ordered a bottle of red. If Nell hadn't misunderstood which one he ordered, he had just bought them a hundred dollar bottle of wine. Nell could supply herself with enough wine for months for the same amount and the look on her face expressing such a thought was blatantly obvious.

"Hey, if I can't drink an expensive bottle of wine on my birthday, when can I?" Callen smiled and Nell relaxed a little and she forced herself to push all the strange thoughts running through her head to the back of her mind. There was good food to be eaten, a really good bottle of wine to be drunk, and great conversation with Callen, with whom she wasn't entirely surprised to find out she had a lot in common with.

But all too soon they were drawing to the end of the meal. Their plates were empty and the bottle of red wine was almost dry. As their current conversation drew to a natural close, Callen leaned back in his chair and appeared to take a moment for thought before leaning forward again.

"Nell, I just wanted to say thank you again, for the birthday card." His voice was soft and genuine.

"It's just a birthday card Callen."

"It's my first birthday card." He told her.

"You haven't got any others yet today?" she asked, oblivious to the history.

"No, I mean it's my first birthday card…ever." He watched her face fall and her eyes widen.

"Oh." She said quietly.

"You know that I grew up in foster homes my whole childhood." Callen reminded her. "I moved a lot… and I mean _a lot_." He took a drink of his wine. "Birthdays are just not important when you have no family and you don't stay anywhere long enough for anyone to care."

"That's sad." She said, her bluntness making Callen laugh.

"Yes Nell, it really is." He smiled.

"If I'd known it was going to be your first ever birthday card, I'd have picked a better one." Her voice sounding a little sad as her gaze dropped to the plate in front of her.

"Hey, I love it. Who _doesn't_ love a chimp with balloons?" Callen smiled reassuringly and was pleased when he saw a smile tug at her lips.

"My uncle, but that's a whole other story." She laughed. "Can you excuse me, I'll be right back…ladies room." She said quickly. As she rose to her feet, he did that terribly gentlemanly thing where he half rose out his seat, only sitting down when she had left the table. She was gone for several minutes and Callen wondered why it was he missed her and why there was a flutter in his chest when he saw her walking back to him.

"So, what are birthdays like for Nell Jones?" he asked when she had settled back in her chair.

"Birthdays are big in my family." She looked over at him, her fingers playing with the edge of the napkin on the table. "But my family use any excuse to celebrate – birthdays, anniversaries, every known holiday and some I think they just made up." Her face began to light up as she spoke of her family. "When I was kid, my mom would throw these amazing themed parties for us. We'd get dressed up and decorate the back yard. And my aunt would make me a birthday cake to fit the theme. This one year when I think I was eight, no I was nine. I had a star wars theme for my party, and she made me a cake decorated like the death star." Nell giggled to herself at the memory. "I know, I know." She shook her head laughing when she saw how wide Callen's eyes had grown. "I was a geek back then too."

"You Nell Jones, are no geek." Callen told her.

"I don't think Sam would agree with you. You should have seen the look he gave me when I referenced Lord of the Rings."

"Yeah, Sam's not really a fantasy novel or film kind of guy." Callen nodded. "He's more Bruce Lee and Steven Segal." Callen laughed.

"I figured." Nell smiled. "So, how was your birthday dinner then?" she asked before she drained the last of the wine from her glass.

"I think Sam's going to have to pull out all the stops next time." Callen grinned.

"And you haven't even had desert." Nell added.

"We can order something if you want?"

"I have something else in mind. If you're up for a little surprise." She grinned mischievously.

"I'm not sure I like the sound of this." Callen said in a playfully suspicious tone, but he knew he would go along with it, he was enjoying her company too much to let things end now. So after settling the extortionately high bill thanks to a very expensive bottle of red wine, they got a cab to head to Nell's mystery destination.

Twenty-five minutes later a yellow cab pulled up at the curb and Callen looked out seeing only closed store fronts.

"Thanks." Nell handed the driver a bill to cover the fare, then got out the cab, with Callen exiting somewhat cautiously behind her. As they stood on the sidewalk, a light suddenly flickered on in a store behind them. Callen looked over and saw a young woman around Nell's age standing at the door to 'Sprinkles Cupcakes'.

"Nell?" he asked, confused. She just smiled and walked over to the door.

"Hey Kacey, thanks for opening up." Nell said as she stepped through the doors of the 'Sprinkles Cupcakes' store.

"Consider us even after tonight." The young woman smirked at Nell.

"Come on." Nell grabbed Callen's hand and dragged him through the door when he appeared hesitant to enter. "Kacey, this is my friend Callen and it's his birthday today, well, for another half hour at least."

"Happy Birthday." Kacey beamed him a smile.

"Thanks." Callen nodded, somewhat embarrassed by the attention.

"We need something…special." Nell pulled Callen with her over to the counter where there were a number of cupcakes set out, ready for the morning trade. She knew she was still holding his hand but with several glasses of red wine in her system, she was feeling pretty free and not worrying about what it meant or didn't mean, or that he was making no effort to pull his hand back.

"That one." Nell pointed at what she wanted and Kacey stepped behind the counter to box up the creation Nell had chosen.

"Here you go." Kacey handed over to Nell a small box, just the right size for one cupcake and as she reached for it, Nell finally dropped her hold on Callen's hand. He looked down at his hand, feeling a strange emptiness. "The extras are inside." Kacey winked and as Callen looked between Nell and Kacey, his face was worried, wondering what on earth that meant.

"Drinks next week?" Nell asked Kacey.

"Absolutely." Kacey smiled as Nell and Callen headed back out the store.

Callen and Nell stepped back out into the cool evening air and began to walk down the street.

"When did you plan this?" Callen asked.

"When I went to the bathroom." Nell replied smugly.

"And your friend Kacey, she just dropped everything to open the store for you at 11.30 on a Friday night?"

"She owed me." Nell said.

"For what exactly?" Callen's interest was piqued.

"A few months ago I was in the store and she was having a nightmare with their internet ordering system. I offered to help fix it for some free cupcakes."

"Resourceful." Callen nodded.

"My vice was starting to cost me too much." She laughed. "This…" She held up the little box. "…is my final payment." She paused as they reached a small park at the end of the street. After a quick glance around looking for the perfect spot, she walked over to a bench and sat down. Callen followed and took a seat next to her as she started to open the box.

"Close your eyes." She told him.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." She nodded. Callen gave her one last look before sighing heavily and doing as instructed.

"Keep them closed." She told him as she got everything ready. "Okay, now open." She was grinning when he opened his eyes and he soon saw why. She had removed the cupcake from the box and was holding it up in two hands, a single lit candle stuck into the top.

"Happy Birthday Callen." She said. Callen was floored. He stared at the cupcake then at Nell. It was probably the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for him and he didn't know what to say. He had been pushing his thoughts aside all night, determined to enjoy the night for what it was – dinner with a friend – but with every little thing Nell said or did he was beginning to think about her in a whole new way.

"Nell." He said quietly.

"Make a wish." She encouraged him. He shook his head and laughed a little, before closing his eyes, thinking of his wish then blowing out the candle.

"Here, enjoy. It's chocolate coconut." She held her hands out closer to him and Callen lifted the cupcake from them.

"Split it with me?" he asked as he started to pull the cupcake into two. He didn't wait for her response before handing her half. She began to pick small pieces off and pop them in her mouth while Callen ate his in two bites.

"It's good." He nodded. Then he paused before asking her a question he needed to have the answer to. "Why did you do this Nell?"

Nell dropped her gaze to her lap and she took a moment before responding.

"You said earlier tonight that birthdays just aren't important when you have no family and don't stay anywhere long enough for anyone to care." She said, repeating his exact words. "Well, you have family, not blood family, but family all the same, in Hetty, Sam, Kensi, Deeks, Eric and me." She paused. "And you've been in the same place a while now and I guess…I guess I just wanted you to know that someone cares and your birthday is important."

Nell forced herself to keep looking at Callen even though she was now feeling a little foolish for the whole cupcake thing and wondering what it was he was thinking that had him staring at her so intently. Their eyes were locked for the longest moment before Callen leaned in closer and reached out with his hand to brush her hair behind her ear.

"Thank you." He whispered, before he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, letting his lips linger a moment longer he should for a 'thank you' kiss. Nell's eyes fluttered closed as she felt the warmth of his lips on her skin. When he finally drew back, she felt her breath catch in her throat and her heart was racing. She noticed that Callen didn't seem to be suffering the same effect, he had already turned and was leaning back against the bench.

"It's nice out tonight." He said.

"Uh huh." Nell nodded numbly, her body involuntarily shuddering as she tried to regain control of her senses.

"You cold?" Callen asked, noticing she was shivering a little. "We don't have to sit out."

"No I'm fine." She replied quickly. She may not know what she was thinking or feeling at that moment but she was sure she didn't want to leave, not quite yet.

"Here, at least take my jacket." Callen shrugged his jacket off and draped it around her shoulders. As he did so, he let his hand rest on the back of the bench behind her.

"Thank you." Nell replied as she felt the warmth from his body still in it. "You can actually see the stars tonight." she said as she leaned her head back and looked up, her head resting on his arm.

"Not something you see often in LA." Callen commented. He glanced down at Nell, watching her as she focused on the sky above and wondering if she felt the same electric charge between them that he had when he kissed her cheek.

"It's one of the many things I miss about home." Nell said in a melancholy tone. "At night in our yard, you can see every star."

"You miss home huh?"

"Not as much as I used to. When I first moved here it was awful. I didn't know anyone and I was living alone for the first time. I missed being around people." She turned her head a little and saw he was looking at her and not the stars.

"You don't feel that way now though, right?" he asked.

"I'm around people now." She smiled. "_Insane_ people who choose to get shot at on a daily basis." She laughed lightly.

"Hey, I don't choose to get shot at. It's not my fault the bad guys think guns are the way out." Callen said pointedly. Nell suddenly sat up and glanced at her watch.

"Hmmm."

"Problem?"

"It's 11.57. Your birthday is almost over."

"In that case I should thank you for making it a great day." He dropped his arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze, drawing her momentarily into his body.

"It was nothing." She shrugged modestly.

"No Nell, you went above and beyond tonight." Callen told her as he turned his body to face her again. She lifted her gaze to meet his and for the second time in as many minutes they found themselves staring at each other in silence.

"Sam's not going to be mad at me is he?" Nell broke the silence before it became awkward. "I mean, I did kind of set the bar pretty high for next year." A mischievous grin crossed her face.

"We'll just not tell him about the cupcake." Callen laughed. "It might put too much pressure on the big guy. Come on, its been a long day, I'll get you a cab home." He rose to his feet and as Nell stood up beside him, he placed his hand on her back and started them walking down the street, using his other hand to try and flag down a cab. One finally stopped and Callen opened the door, taking a moment to look at the drivers face and check it against his ID – you could never be too careful.

"Thanks for sharing your birthday with me, I had a really great time." She shrugged off his jacket and handed it back to him before starting to get in the cab. But she turned at the last minute and stretched up, placing a kiss on his cheek, much like he had not long before. "See you Monday."

"I'll see you Monday." Callen nodded as he closed the cab door on behind her.

Callen waited at the curb until Nell's cab was out of sight before he started to walk down the street in the general direction of home. He desperately needed some time to clear his head. What had started out as an ordinary day had turned into something altogether extraordinary. In the space of just a few hours Callen was rethinking everything he thought he knew.

He had never thought birthdays were important, but now having had an incredible time he could see reason in celebrating them and understood why Sam insisted on taking him out each year.

He thought he liked Nell as a colleague and friend, but now after what she had done to make him feel special and show him she cared, he was wondering if there was more to it. She _was_ a unique individual and she definitely kept him on his toes.

Callen rubbed a hand across his face, a little frustrated that the balance he had recently managed to achieve in his life was being rocked by the least likely individual. She told him she cared, but did her actions mean she cared or she _really _cared? Did _he _care or _really_ care about _her_? He couldn't ignore the way he felt when he kissed her cheek, the surge of electricity that coursed through his body and made every inch of him feel alive. He just wasn't sure why he felt it. Was it genuine or just a reaction to a woman who had done something just for him with no expectations in return?

As he walked along the sidewalk, a yellow cab slowed and Callen contemplated jumping in to go home, but since he wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon, he waved it on by and kept walking. The cool air and the walk would give him time to think and maybe sort out in his head just what was going on.

**Thanks for reading. I hope you leave a review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for all the awesome reviews - I'm so glad you are enjoying this. I started working on what I thought was going to be the concluding chapter when I had a sudden moment of inspiration and I hope you'll be pleased to know this is turning into a bit of a longer story than I had planned. I'll admit to struggling a little with this chapter - it's more of a transition chapter to get to the next part of the story which is longer and much more fluffy and will be posted soon. I hope you continue to enjoy this. Zoe.**

Monday morning rolled around quickly and far from being nervous, Callen was looking forward to getting back to work. He had decided over the weekend that there was no point in thinking too much about what had happened on Friday night, it would just lead him in circles and no doubt leave him more confused. Instead he decided on a 'wait and see' approach. He would wait and see how Nell interacted with him, if she gave him any sign that she had felt something change. And he would wait and see how he felt when he saw her again. The only thing he knew was he couldn't pursue something without knowing she would reciprocate – there was too much at stake to risk going after something that he wasn't sure about. So as Callen arrived at OSP on Monday morning he was open to whatever may or may not happen.

"Hey Sam, good weekend?" Callen greeted his partner as he reached the bullpen to see Sam already settled at his desk, having now returned from his 'long weekend'.

"It was…interesting." Sam replied mysteriously. "Anything happening here?"

"Nope." Callen sighed as he dropped his bag down at the side of his desk and slid into his chair.

"Sorry I missed your birthday. How about I make it up to you, beers on Saturday?"

"If you're buying." Callen laughed.

"So did you do anything for your birthday or did you just mope at home like you used to before I came along?" Sam smiled.

"Actually, I went out for dinner." Callen replied casually. He had already decided that since the dinner was intended as a friendly one, there was no reason to hide it, even though he knew it would likely draw attention.

"You did?" Sam sounded surprised.

"Yup. With Nell." Callen dropped his gaze to the newspaper on his desk and waited for Sam's response.

"You went to dinner with Nell?" Sam asked, confusion thick in his voice.

"Uh huh." Callen replied nonchalantly as he turned the page of the paper.

"Like a date?" Sam's voice rose in pitch as he considered the idea.

"Nope." Callen shook his head.

"Okay?" Sam still sounded confused but he was interrupted from asking anything further when Eric whistled for them to come up.

"No Deeks or Kensi?" Callen asked, realising the Junior Agent and Detective were not in yet.

"Maybe they're already upstairs." Sam shrugged.

Arriving in the ops centre, Callen saw Kensi and Deeks were indeed already in and waiting. Eric was prepping the big screen for the briefing.

"Morning." Callen called out to everyone before noticing Nell in the corner. As she turned and smiled at him he felt a little knot in his stomach. It wasn't quite the definitive sign he was looking for to tell him that his feelings from Friday were still there but maybe it was something because he never used to get a knot in his stomach around her. He stared at her for a moment trying to interpret the smile she had thrown him – was it brighter than normal?

"Morning Callen." She greeted him. "Hi Sam." She added.

"Nell." Sam regarded her, his mind still thinking about Callen's random admission that he went to dinner with her.

"Can we get started please." Hetty's distinctive voice called out from the doorway. Callen could hear Hetty sounded a little agitated and he knew the case they were about to embark on would be tough.

He was right. The case was complicated by multiple suspects, misleading evidence and confusing information and they hadn't even started yet. When the briefing was over and Callen had formulated an initial plan of action, Kensi and Deeks headed out to start their investigation. Callen was making his way to the door when he saw Sam approach Nell.

"So I hear you kept my partner company on his birthday." The way Sam spoke was innocent enough, but Callen knew he was really trying to find out if there was something else going on. He paused, and waited to hear what she would say, hoping her response might give him a clue as to what she was thinking.

"I could hardly say no, he looked so pathetic, missing you." She told Sam jokingly, then glanced at Callen and winked. He had no idea what that indicated, other than she wanted him to know she didn't really think he was pathetic. "But I'm not sure my company was up to your standard Sam. You're going to have to take him out and make it up to him." Nell added.

"Come on Sam, we have work to do." Callen urged his partner, before he started asking questions that could get uncomfortable for both he and Nell. "Bye Nell." He called back to her.

"Stay safe." She replied, smiling at him again. He was pretty sure that was the first time she had made such a comment when the team went out into the field and it left him wondering what it meant and why she had said it.

With the complexity of the case, Callen had little time to think about anything but work and because he spent most of the week in the field and away from the office, he wasn't around Nell much to see if she would say or do anything to indicate that she felt something more for him. It left him thinking that maybe this just wasn't a good idea and he should forget about whatever he thought might have been happening.

But when Friday rolled around and the team finally closed the case, an opportunity presented itself to Callen and he knew he couldn't turn it down.

The team had returned to OSP late afternoon and unusually for Hetty, she had told everyone to take off for the weekend, paperwork could wait until Monday. None of the team were going to look a gift horse in the mouth and no sooner were they back than they were grabbing their belongings and heading for the door.

"You still up for a few beers tomorrow night?" Sam asked as he slung his bag over his back.

"Sure, Murphy's at eight?" Callen checked. Sam nodded and made his way out, a little bounce in his step. Callen knew he was looking forward to spending some time with his kids, having been basically away from home the whole week.

"Kensi, Deeks, see you Monday." Callen nodded as they too made their way out behind Sam. He then turned to pick up his bag and noticed Nell sitting at one of the computer terminals at the back of the office. Even from a distance he could see she looked a little despondent.

"Hey Nell." He greeted her as he walked over. "You not going home? It's not often we get away early on a Friday."

"I'm leaving soon." She replied with a heaviness in her voice.

"Is something wrong? You sound upset." He heard her exhale a sigh.

"I was supposed to be going to this event at the Getty tonight with my friend Rachel. But she's just cancelled on me." Nell tapped at the computer and brought up a flyer for the event.

"A Night at the Museum." Callen read. "What's that all about?" he asked as he placed one hand on the table and the other on the back of her chair, leaning in towards her to read the information on the screen.

"The museum is opened up after hours and they have a bar, a band playing, you can look at all the artwork..." she trailed off. "I was really looking forward to it." She closed the window down and started to shut off the terminal.

"You won't go by yourself?" Callen asked.

"I would, but it's just not the same without someone to share it with." Callen could see in her eyes how disappointed she was and before he could think twice about it, the words just fell out his mouth.

"I don't have any plans, I'll go with you." He realised just how surprised Nell was by his offer by the wide eyed look she gave him.

"You're not just offering because you feel sorry for me getting ditched, are you?" she asked with one raised eyebrow.

"Nah, I love the Getty but haven't had a chance to go for a while. I didn't even know they held events like this. It sounds like fun." He was also thinking it would be a perfect opportunity to spend more time with her and see if the feelings that had been stirred the week before resurfaced.

"Um, okay." Nell agreed. "Doors open at eight."

"How about I meet you there just before eight then?"

"Sure." Nell replied, still a little stunned. Last week he had invited her to dinner and now he was offering to join her for a night out.

"I'll see you in a few hours then." Callen smiled warmly at her then headed back to his desk to get his things and leave.

Nell watched him go, her heart racing. She had wanted all week to do or say something to let him know how she felt but with the case there just wasn't the opportunity, and if she were honest with herself, she was a little scared – there had been no real indication that he would reciprocate and she didn't want to make a fool of herself. But he had offered to go with her to this event, the second time they would be out alone outside of work and the second time he had been the one to instigate it. As she packed her own things to leave, she wondered if tonight would give her the sign she was looking for.

**Thanks for reading. I hope you leave a review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed - I really appreicate your feedback and your enthusiasm for my story. I hope you enjoy the next chapter! Zoe.**

Callen was waiting for Nell outside the museum and he was nervous, though to look at him no-one would be able to tell; he was leaning casually against one of the pillars, his hands stuffed into his jeans pockets subtly scanning the small crowd. Since spontaneously asking to join Nell at this event, he had been wondering if it were the right move. She had seemed a little unnerved, or maybe just surprised, by the offer and he wondered if she had accepted his company because she didn't think she could say no or because she actually wanted his company. He just hoped that maybe a few hours alone with her and he would get a feel for how she might react if he decided to ask her out on a real date because that thought was on his mind more and more.

He watched each cab pull up as he anticipated her arrival, feeling his heart swell then fall when it wasn't her who exited. Finally though, he caught sight of her stepping out of a cab and he stood up straight, taking a few steps to meet her as she walked towards him.

"Hey, there you are." He smiled.

"Hi." She grinned before falling into step beside him as he led the way to the main doors. Her stomach was in knots and she was thoroughly confused about what this all meant but she had decided on the way over that she had to just be herself and see what happened. She knew she liked him - she had for months. It was just a matter of finding out if his recent behaviour was a sign that he liked her back.

"Welcome to the Getty" a young man in a maroon blazer greeted them and took their tickets. "Coat check is to the left through the doors and…" the attendant continued to give them information but Nell was only half listening. She was busy trying to analyse Callen and the situation. He was acting normally, but that said, their dinner the week before had started our normally before she thought she felt things change.

"Nell?" Callen touched her elbow, drawing her back to the moment.

"Uh, right. Sorry." She smiled, realising the attendant had finished and Callen was ready to go inside. Once through the doors, Callen steered Nell towards the coat check. He stood back and waited as she stripped off her dark green fitted jacket to reveal a beautiful emerald green dress with a deep v-neck, short puffed sleeves and a black belt cinching in her waist. She always looked nice but tonight he thought she looked beautiful.

"Where to first?" she asked as she smoothed down the front of her dress and put the long strap of her purse over her shoulder so she wouldn't have to carry it all night.

"How about a drink, while the bar is quiet." Callen suggested. "We can take a look at this flyer and decide where to go." He let his eyes scan over the flyer, immediately noting a couple of things he would be interested in seeing.

A few minutes later they were seated at a small table with two bottles of beer. Nell held the flyer and was studying the contents intently.

"So when is the band on?" Callen asked, taking a swig from the bottle of beer he had ordered as he leaned back casually in the chair.

"10pm in the garden." Nell replied without looking up from the flyer.

"Okay, so why don't we go take a look at the exhibits now, then we can come back for the band." He suggested.

"Sounds good." Nell agreed. "I'd really like to see the Gothic Grandeur Manuscript exhibit. It showcases a range of books from prayer volumes to bibles and scientific texts from 1200-1350." Nell found herself gushing enthusiastically about the exhibit. When Callen showed what to her appeared to be genuine interest in the exhibit, Nell found herself relaxing more and as they finished their drinks, conversation flowed easily like it had the week before and all her earlier nerves had disappeared.

After thoroughly checking out every item in the exhibit, Callen and Nell made a return visit to the bar and over a couple of beers, they decided to see the Narrative Interventions in Photography exhibit. Callen seemed particularly interested in it and while Nell was a novice when it came to this type of artwork, Callen seemed to have a lot of knowledge and was happy to share. She listened attentively as he explained some of the theories behind the work and enjoyed hearing him talk about something that didn't involve terrorists, guns, murder or national security.

As they left the second exhibit, they were still chatting enthusiastically, Nell laughing and gesturing wildly to demonstrate a point she was making. When they reached the main gallery, Callen noticed it was almost time for the band to go on so he and Nell made their way outside and into the gardens. As they wove their way through the growing crowd to get a good spot near the front, Nell felt a slight chill in the air.

"This place is really something at night." Callen commented as he looked around.

"It's beautiful." Nell beamed at him as she took in the little coloured fairy lights adorning trees and pillars throughout the gardens creating a somewhat romantic atmosphere. Callen steered them to a spot to the left of the stage where despite her short statute, Nell had a perfect view. But she shivered a little as a cool breeze passed over her bare arms and she hoped it wouldn't get too cold to enjoy the music.

"Are you cold?" Callen asked, noticing how she was rubbing her arms a little.

"It's a little cool." Nell told him. "But I'm okay." She nodded and turned her attention back to the stage, but was surprised when a moment later she felt the soft material of his jacket on her shoulders.

"Hey, band's coming on." Callen pointed to the stage as the musicians took their places, not giving her an opportunity to comment on his gesture. "Do you know this band?" he asked Nell.

"I've heard them a few times before. They're pretty good but still unknown on the wider scene." She explained. She was about to tell him she had their CD but the band began to play and the crowd cheered, making any further conversation pointless.

Not long into the first song, the crowd began to swell. Space became precious and Nell started to feel a little claustrophobic as there was jostling amongst the crowd for the best view. A few people looking to improve their position pushed past Callen and Nell from behind. One bumped Nell so hard that she lost her footing. She stumbled forward but felt herself caught by Callen's hands on her waist. He gently tugged her to stand in front of him then he placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned in close;

"You okay?" he whispered in her ear, although to be heard over the band he was almost shouting. Nell tilted her head a little and nodded. Despite a large and bustling crowd in which she would normally feel a little uncomfortable because of her petite stature, Nell felt protected with Callen standing behind her. As the band continued on, she found herself leaning back against him a little, her head making contact with his chest. He didn't seem to mind and part way through the set, during a slow and romantic song, he moved his hands from her shoulders and draped one arm across her chest, holding her close to him.

Distracted from the music by this new position, Nell finally realised what was going on between them. There was give and take, each needing the other to recognise a gesture before making another. She had given him a birthday card, he had asked her to dinner. She had surprised him with a birthday cupcake, he had kissed her cheek. He had placed his hands on her shoulders and she had leaned into him. And now he had draped his arm across her and pulled her closer, but she was yet to respond. With a deep breath, she lifted a hand and raised it to hold his forearm, letting him know she was okay with it. As soon as she did his other hand move to circle her waist and she felt him pull her just a little closer to him. She was completely enveloped in him and they remained in that position for the rest of the set.

An hour and a half later, as the band drew to a close and the crowd began to disperse, Callen reluctantly drew his arms back and released Nell.

"You want to go back inside, get some drinks?" he asked, noting that even with his jacket on she was shivering a little from the cool breeze. She nodded and with his hand on her lower back, he led her with the crowd back inside.

The museum was packed when they got back in and it took a while to get drinks. All the tables were taken so they ended up standing amongst a crowd of people. They started talking about the band and drifted to discuss other music they liked and didn't like with a rather animated response from Callen when she talked about Sam's love of improvisational jazz. But although the conversation was easy, Nell felt that the intimacy they had achieved outside had disappeared. It was like they had taken a big step forward but an even bigger step back. The only thing she knew to do was to keep talking with him. She was worried if she let the conversation fall way things would get awkward.

Callen was a little mad at himself. He had asked her to go back inside but it felt to him like the wrong move. The crowd and the music in the background had changed the dynamic of the situation and he didn't feel like he could be as close to her as he had been outside. She was chatting animatedly and didn't seem too bothered which again left him a little confused as to what she was thinking and feeling. He figured there wasn't much he could do so he tried to just enjoy the rest of the night. It wasn't hard because although the circumstances weren't as he wanted, Nell was great company and after a while he tuned out the crowd and was focused entirely on her.

Before either of them realised it, the night was coming to a close and the guests were gently being encouraged to leave. After collecting Nell's jacket, they made their way outside only to be confronted with a large queue for cabs. Nell sighed heavily, realising they would have a long wait.

"We could start walking? Probably catch a cab further down the road." Callen suggested.

"A walk sounds nice." She smiled, grateful to have another chance to just be alone with Callen.

They made their way through the gathering crowd and found the footpath that led away from the museum and ran parallel to the road. As they made their way down the path making idle conversation Nell was feeling the cold of the late night air. She lifted her hands to her mouth and breathed on them, hoping her warm breath would get some warmth back into them.

"Cold?" Callen asked.

"A little." She replied. Callen stopped and took both her hands in his, rubbing them with his to warm them up. "Better?" he asked after a moment. Nell looked up at him and nodded, her eyes wide at another gesture on his part that suggested there was something more going on. As they started to walk again, Callen wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Nell leaned against him as they walked in step with each other, her head resting in the crook between his arm and his chest. She could feel his body heat seeping into her and it not only served to warm her up but his actions reassured her that the vibes she had been getting from him all night were something.

They walked in comfortable silence for some time. Callen glanced down at her, realising how perfectly they fit together. When he did date which was rare, he usually found himself with tall blondes – LA was full of them - but he liked that Nell fit snuggly under his arm, her head barely reaching his shoulder. He wasn't one of those cavemen types who thought he had to protect women because in his line of work most of the women he met were more than capable of taking care of themselves, but there was something primal about the way she fit against him. It made him feel strong and protective. The expression he saw on her face was one he pegged as contentment and he felt his heart beat a little faster with the knowledge that being with him had put that look on her face. Though the night was cool, Callen wouldn't have cared if they didn't catch a cab. He would happily have walked her all the way home if it meant they could stay this way.

Nell would have been quite happy if a cab never came along – tucked up against Callen's side she was warm, content and felt safe. But as they reached the end of the footpath and joined the main road, she spotted a yellow light approaching. Callen had seen it too and she could swear she felt him sigh. He slowed to stop and held his hand out, getting the cab to stop. When it pulled up, he opened the door and ushered Nell inside before joining her in the back seat. As they got settled, Callen gave the driver two addresses. It didn't slip past Nell that Callen had given the driver an address that was three streets away from where he actually lived – another security measure she presumed.

"I had a great time tonight Nell." Callen told her as the cab joined the flow of traffic.

"Me too, thanks for coming with me." She smiled.

"Do they have these events often?" he queried.

"Every few months." She nodded. "I usually miss them, you know, with work." She nodded.

"It's the price we pay." He laughed. "You should let me know the next time one is on. I'd like to come back."

"I will." She smiled, hoping he meant he wanted to come with her again. "What else are you going to do with your weekend?" she asked.

"Sam's buying me drinks tomorrow, to make up for missing dinner last week. You?"

"Remember Kacey? I'm meeting her for drinks tomorrow too."

"It's nice that you have friends outside of work." Callen sounded a little melancholy.

"You don't?" she asked.

"No." he shook his head. "I've spent my whole working life doing some kind of Government work in covert operations, for the DEA, FBI, CIA and now NCIS. You tend not to make a lot of friends when you're always someone else. What we do, it makes having a life that little bit harder."

"I'm realising that. I'm pretty sure the only reason Rachel hasn't ditched me yet is because she's a doctor and her schedule is worse than mine." Nell laughed. "And I don't get together with Kacey often enough for her to get suspicious about the times I have to cancel at the last minute."

"What about friends from college and from home?" Callen asked, wanting to find out more about Nell's life.

"I haven't been home in a long while." She sighed. "I keep in touch with everyone by email but being so far away, it's difficult to maintain relationships. Rachel is the only friend from home I really see but that's only because she lives here in LA." She paused. "But I like to think I've made close friends at NCIS." She glanced down then lifted her eyes to meet his. He was gazing at her with those intense blue eyes and she wondered what he was thinking because his expression didn't give anything away.

"You have." Callen responded. "The place wouldn't be the same without you. I know Eric is glad you're there – he was getting a little lonely not have someone else around he could talk to about all that techy stuff you guys do. And Kensi would never admit it but she likes having another girl around. She pretends she isn't a girly girl but I know her and there are times she gets sick of all the testosterone."

"Hmmm, so that's why she always tries to drag me out with you guys when you go out after work." Nell smiled.

"You should come with us more often." Callen told her. "She's not the only one who enjoys your company." He added quietly.

"No?" Nell asked.

"Uh, Sam and Deeks, they kinda like you too." The moment the words were out of his mouth he couldn't believe he had chickened out of a perfect opportunity to tell her what he was feeling.

"And you?" Nell probed. She had a feeling if she pushed him just a little he might actually say what was on his mind.

"I thought it was obvious." He whispered as he took her hand in his letting his fingers link with hers. Nell glanced down at their hands then looked up to meet his eyes. There was no mistaking the look he was sending her and her heart skipped a beat as she realised that he really did like her.

"First stop." The cabbie called suddenly as he brought the cab to a stop outside Nell's apartment building. Callen could have killed him for ruining the moment and shot him a look that said as much as the cabbie looked in the rear view mirror.

"I…I guess this is me." Nell said quickly as she reluctantly pulled her hand away from his to undo her seatbelt.

"Guess so." Callen nodded. Nell moved to get out but she thought back to what she had noticed earlier with Callen and the give and take. He had just given her a very clear sign and unless she wanted to lose the chance at something more, she knew she needed to give something back. Without giving herself time to really think it through for fear of talking herself out of it, Nell leaned over, placed her palm on his cheek and kissed him softly on the lips. She felt an immediate spark and it took all the self-control she had to pull back after just a second or two, not wanting to push too hard in case she was completely wrong about what was going on between them.

"Goodnight." She said as she pulled away, noticing the look of pure surprise written all over Callen's face. It brought a smile to her face and she grinned at him as she got out. "I'll see you Monday." She added, before closing the door. She took a few steps backwards and watched as Callen raised his fingers to touch his lips, his face still an expression of shock. She never thought she would see him speechless, let alone be the cause of it.

The cab began to pull away from the curb and Callen glanced out through the rear window to see Nell become a distant figure as she walked into her building. It took a lot to surprise Callen but with that kiss, Nell had stunned him into silence. It had lasted less than two seconds but as soon as her hand touched his cheek and her lips pressed against his he felt his heart stop and he was pretty such he forgot to breath. If he had been looking for a definitive sign that she liked him, he had it. And after that kiss he knew he was falling hard and fast for Nell Jones.

**Thoughts? :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Big thanks to everyone who was kind enough to leave me a review for that last chapter. This is the penultimate chapter to this story and I hope you enjoy it. Zoe :)**

The next afternoon Nell arrived at a little beachfront café to meet her friend Kacey from the cupcake store. She hadn't slept on Friday night because she was too excited and nervous about what had happened with Callen and had spent most of the night and the morning giving her apartment an OCD clean and complete reorganisation in an attempt to get her head straight and work out what she should do next. She was grateful for the distraction of meeting her friend and that for a few hours at least she could get out of her own head. She found that Kacey was already waiting for her outside overlooking the beach, shaded from the bright afternoon sun by a large umbrella over the table she was seated at.

"Hey Nell." The young woman smiled, her long blonde hair shimmering in the sun.

"Hi Kacey." Nell greeted her as she slipped into the seat beside her friend.

"I hope you don't mind, I already ordered." Kacey held up her drink and Nell recognised it immediately as a mojito.

"It's a little early don't you think?" she laughed.

"It's four in the afternoon." Kacey smiled. "Besides, it was a hectic week. We had a huge order to fill and the oven at the store broke down on Wednesday."

"Sounds bad." Nell commented with a sly smile, knowing if Kacey knew what a hectic week in _ her _life was like, she wouldn't be complaining. A waitress appeared as Nell slipped off her jacket and she ordered a soda but Kacey cancelled it for her.

"She'll have what I'm having." She nodded at the waitress.

"Kacey." Nell shook her head laughing.

"Come on Nell, it's the weekend." Kacey shrugged. "You gotta live a little. And besides, if I don't get you a little drunk, how am I going to get you to tell me all about that guy you were with last weekend." She leaned forward and grinned.

"Callen?" Nell responded, a little surprised that Kacey was asking.

"Yes him. He's quite something." Kacey replied, a wicked smile on her face. "Those eyes, god I could have stared into them all night."

"Kacey." Nell blushed.

"You two _are_ dating right?"

"Uh, no." Nell shook her head.

"What! You're kidding." She leaned back in her chair and took a long drink. "You sure looked like a couple last week."

"It's complicated." Nell sighed.

"Nell, nothing is ever that complicated." Kacey finished her drink. "And you know he's totally into you, right?"

"How could you possibly know that?" Nell asked, taking a moment after to acknowledge the waitress who brought her drink over.

"He couldn't take his eyes off you." Kacey shrugged.

"Really?" Nell asked, heartened that an objective person saw what she had felt.

"Really." Kacey affirmed. "So what's going on? Have you seen him again?"

"Well I see him every day." Nell explained. "We sort of work together."

"Ah, a workplace romance. I can see why you think it would be complicated." Kacey nodded knowingly.

"We went out again last night…but we're just friends." Nell took a long drink, emptying half the glass and momentarily acknowledging that if this kept up, she was probably going to have a hangover the next day.

"Uh huh." Kacey scoffed, not believing her friend for a moment.

"Okay, so I like him. I mean I _really_ like him and have done for a while, pretty much since I met him." Nell admitted out loud for the first time. She realised she was actually quite glad to have someone to talk to about this even though talking about it was making it all feel very real and a little scary.

"Have you told him?" Kacey asked.

"Kind of. I kissed him." Nell smirked at the memory and watched as Kacey's eyes narrowed.

"What kind of kiss? Because for all I know you could mean that you kissed him on the cheek and that doesn't really count."

"It was on the lips." Nell smiled and sipped at her drink.

"Full blown smooch?" Kacey grinned, desperate for details.

"Not exactly." Nell shook her head.

"What did he do?"

"Not a lot." Nell pursed her lips. "He was a little speechless, and I did get out the cab before he had a chance to recover."

"Interesting." Kacey grinned and waved the waitress over, ordering two more drinks.

"What do you mean 'interesting'?" Nell asked.

"I mean, why did you get out?"

"I don't…I mean I was at my place and…" Nell stopped talking, her mind starting to run away with her. Just why had she kissed him and run?

"Were you afraid of what might happen if you stuck around to see his reaction?" Kacey asked. She could see immediately she had started Nell thinking. "Look, I haven't known you that long Nell, but you can trust me. And I have a lot of experience with guys, so drink up and we'll figure this out." Kacey said softly.

"Thanks Kacey."

On Saturday evening Callen was waiting for Sam at the bar. It had been a long day and he was mentally exhausted from running through the night before and Nell's kiss. He had spent the better part of the night and all of that morning going through every minute detail and coming to the same realisation. Nell liked him. But he had no idea what to do now because he had never been in a situation like this before. Sure, he'd had relationships but none were based on the truth and he wasn't himself in them. And he'd dated but it never went anywhere because he couldn't share who he was. Nell was different. She knew who he was, what he did and he wouldn't ever have to lie to her about why he had a black eye or cuts and bruises. But he knew he couldn't afford to screw things up either because they would have to work together and that knowledge had him second guessing everything he thought he should do or say to her. Callen was deep in thought nursing a beer in a booth when his partner arrived and dropped down into the seat opposite him.

"Hey G." Sam nodded then turned his attention to a passing waitress to order beers for them both.

"Hey Sam." Callen replied.

"What's wrong man, you look troubled." Sam leaned forward in his seat. Callen sighed heavily and sat forward.

"I've got something on my mind." He said, keeping his gaze on the bottle in front of him.

"Something you want to talk about?" Sam asked. Callen wasn't the type to confide his inner most thoughts but as his friend and partner, Sam always let Callen know he was free to do so.

"It's complicated Sam." Callen nodded as he focused on his beer bottle.

"Alright." Sam sat back, expecting Callen to change the topic because that's what he always did.

"You keep telling me you want me to find a nice girl and settle down." Callen continued, surprising Sam. "I think I might have." Callen finally looked up and met Sam's intrigued gaze.

"I'm listening." Sam told him, trying not to show too much enthusiasm for this admittance for fear of Callen closing off. If there was one thing lacking in their partnership and friendship, it was Callen sharing his personal life.

"I was with her again last night. We went…" he stopped as the waitress dropped off two beers at their table. "We went to the museum." He continued when the waitress was gone.

"You went on a date?" Sam smiled, knowing it been a long time since Callen had done such a thing.

"It wasn't a date, we went as friends."

"Uh huh." Sam didn't believe his friend for one moment.

"But I think I made it clear to her last night that I was open to being more than friends." Callen sighed and leaned back in his chair, downing half his bottle of beer. With no immediate response from his partner, Callen lifted his eyes to look at Sam and could see he was putting the pieces together.

"Wait, this wouldn't happen to be the same girl you went to dinner with 'as friends' last week, would it?" Sam asked. Callen didn't respond but the look on his face was all it took for Sam to know he was right.

"Callen, what's been going on?" Sam asked with a somewhat fatherly tone, as he leaned forward and clasped his hands together. Callen sighed heavily and scratched his head, torn between telling Sam everything and possibly getting advice, and shutting up and dealing with it himself like he usually did.

"G?" Sam pressed.

"It started last Friday, on my birthday." Callen began. "At least that's the first time I realised I felt something for her." Callen began. He went on to tell Sam how Nell had given him a birthday card and at the end of the day he had asked her to join him for dinner and how that led to the cupcake in the park.

"Then yesterday she was planning to go to this thing at the museum but her friend cancelled on her and I offered to go with her instead." Callen sighed.

"Are you going to pursue this?" Sam asked, concern kicking in for how this would affect not just Callen and Nell but the rest of the team. "I mean you work with her. And we have to work with the both of you."

"I know Sam." Callen paused.

"Look. It's not my business to tell you what you should do but you need to think about the implications of this G." Sam told him. "Nell isn't some girl you can sleep with until…" Callen cut him off, his eyes flashing with anger.

"It's not like that Sam." He replied loudly and defensively. "And you don't think I haven't thought about the implications?" he then lowered his voice. "It's all I've thought about since she kissed me."

"Whoa, wait a minute." Sam held a hand up. "_She_ kissed _you_?"

"I need another beer." Callen waved over the waitress and ordered two more beers.

"G, Nell kissed you?" Sam asked again.

"Uh huh." Callen nodded. "In the cab when I dropped her off."

"And?"

"And she got out and went inside." Callen shrugged.

"She just kissed you and left?" Sam asked with a laugh in his voice, this piece of information not really coming as much of a surprise.

"Uh huh."

"Interesting." Sam smirked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Callen asked.

"I think you're going to have your hands full with that one, G." Sam laughed.

"Don't I know it." Callen snorted.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Sam asked.

"I have no idea." Callen shook his head.

"Well you'd better decide pretty quickly." Sam told him, his gaze shifting to the bar's entrance.

"Why?" Callen queried. Sam indicated with a finger for Callen to turn and when he did his heart took off on a high speed chase. Walking through the door was none other than the subject of their current conversation…Nell Jones.

**So, what did you think?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Well here is the final chapter and I hope it satisfies everyone. It's been fun writing this and I'm thrilled with all the positive reviews readers have been so kind to leave me. Zoe :)**

Having spent the afternoon relaxing at the beachside café with mojitos, Nell had convinced Kacey to go to a nearby restaurant for dinner, deciding if she was going to be drinking the rest of the night she would near some food in her stomach to soak it all up. Over dinner their conversation steered away from the topic of Nell and Callen and drifted into a multitude of others. Nell had only known Kacey a few months and didn't know all that much about her so was glad to have a chance to ask questions and find out more about her. And it proved a much needed distraction because for two hours, Nell didn't think once about Special Agent G Callen. But as soon as dinner was over, Kacey insisted on hitting new bar so they could continue their chat about Nell's potential romance.

The two women took the short walk to a nearby bar that Kacey insisted came highly recommended.

"My friend Lana I told you about, she comes here a lot. She says the cocktails are great." Kacey gushed as she ushered her through the door. Nell stepped inside and after taking her jacket off, took a quick glance around and that was when she saw him. The very man she had been thinking and talking about all day was sitting in a booth with Sam, several beer bottles set out before them. She quickly averted her gaze and turned to Kacey.

"I'm not so sure about this place." She told Kacey, her stomach twisting in knots.

"Why not, it's quiet for a Saturday night - we can get a table." Kacey shrugged. Nell turned around and looked over to where she had seen Callen. He wasn't looking in her direction but Sam was. She locked eyes with the agent and he flashed a knowing smile. Thoroughly embarrassed because with that look from Sam she realised that Callen had told him about what happened last night, Nell wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. She was nervous enough about talking to Callen again, let alone doing it with his partner and best friend right there.

"Oh." Kacey nodded when she followed Nell's gaze and saw what had her all twisted up, then rested a hand on Nell's shoulder. "Must be a sign." She grinned and grabbed Nell's hand, dragging her towards the two agents.

Callen focused on Sam, too nervous to look around. He barely had a handle on his own feelings and was not ready to see the source of them again.

"Did she see us?" he asked.

"Oh, she saw us." Sam laughed. "And by the looks of things, her friend has decided they're going to join us." Sam nudged Callen who finally turned back to see Nell being pulled towards him by Kacey.

"Ladies." Sam greeted the pair warmly as they approached.

"Hi, I'm Kacey." She stuck her hand out and shook Sam's hand.

"Sam." He responded.

"It's Callen, right?" Kacey turned to Callen and smiled. "Nice to see you again."

"Kacey." Callen nodded at her before letting his gaze flick over to Nell. He could tell she was uncomfortable and that made _him_ uncomfortable.

"Hi Sam, Callen." Nell nodded shyly.

"Would you like to join us?" Sam asked. Nell looked pleadingly at Kacey but it went unnoticed, or deliberately ignored.

"We'd love to, right Nell?"

"Okay then." Sam slid out the booth. "Callen, what say you and I get the ladies some drinks." He urged. Callen merely nodded and slid out the booth to join him.

"What are you drinking?" Sam asked.

"Something fruity and heavy on the tequila." Kacey laughed.

"I'll have what she's having." Nell forced a smile onto her face even though she was a bundle of nerves.

"Pull yourself together G." Sam scolded his friend as they walked to the bar. "You're the best undercover agent NCIS, hell _any _federal agency, has, and you're losing it over there."

"We'll take two beers and two tequila sunrises." Callen told the bartender before turning to Sam. "You don't think I don't know that?" he sighed.

"So this is unexpected, but you two need to sort out what's going on, and what better time than now." Sam offered.

"Yeah, with you and Kacey for chaperones." Callen replied sarcastically.

"I can make myself scarce and if I'm right about her, Kacey will too." Sam smiled. "Somehow I don't think she and Nell have spent the afternoon talking hair and make-up." He glanced over at the booth where the two women were deep in conversation, leaning in towards each other over the table. Callen glanced back himself and as if she sensed him looking, Nell turned and locked eyes with him, a nervous smile tugging at her lips.

"Just don't be too obvious." Callen pleaded.

"I'm the king of subtlety." Sam boasted as he paid for the drinks and picked two up to take over. Callen grabbed the other two and the men made their way back to the booth. Sam took a seat next to Kacey leaving Callen to sit next to Nell, a deliberate move Callen would either thank him or hate him for later.

"So, what are you boys been up to tonight?" Kacey asked confidently.

"I was away for Callen's birthday last week so I've been buying his forgiveness with beer." Sam laughed.

"At least he had Nell for company on his big day." Kacey grinned.

"You never did tell me where you went to dinner." Sam said to Callen.

"Yamashiros." Callen and Nell answered at the same time, the coincidence finally breaking the strange tension between them. They smiled at each other and Nell let out a little laugh.

"Then I took him to Sprinkles Cupcakes, where Kacey works." Nell added.

"I hope you enjoyed that cupcake." Kacey said. "She went to a lot of trouble to get it for you."

"Best cupcake I ever had." Callen smiled warmly and leaned back in the booth stretching his arm out across the back of the cushion, his hand coming to a rest just behind Nell's neck.

"So you guys both work with Nell?" Kacey asked.

"We do." Sam nodded.

"At a TV Station, must be exciting."

"Nah, it's mostly paperwork." Callen replied, winking at Sam.

"Is that why you never talk about work?" Kacey asked Nell. "Here you had me thinking you had some glamorous job." She joked.

"It's definitely not glamorous." Nell smiled knowingly. "But it's rewarding."

"And you get to work with these two handsome gentlemen." Kacey laughed. "Maybe we should switch jobs – you can run the store and I'll go edit the news."

Kacey continued to make general conversation, asking questions and regaling them with tales of her life, but Nell suddenly became very distracted. Whether Callen knew he was doing it or not she didn't know, because he was animatedly involved in the conversation and not drawing any attention to it, but he had dropped his hand from the back of the cushion and his fingers were gently tracing circles on the back of her neck. His gentle touch sent shivers down her spine and she had a hard time concentrating on what was going on around her.

"Who needs another drink?" Callen asked. "Nell?" he turned to her, breaking her from her thoughts.

"Uh sure." She nodded as she sipped the last of her cocktail.

"I'll pass. I just remembered I never finished that report and you know how our boss likes her paperwork." Sam lied badly as he slid out the booth, eliciting an eyeroll from Callen at his lack of subtlety.

"I'll pass too. I just remembered…" Kacey started but paused. "Oh what the hell." Kacey sighed. "I just want to leave you two alone to figure _this _out." She gestured between Callen and Nell.

"Kacey!" Nell exclaimed in embarrassment while Callen just shook his head and laughed softly.

"Hey Sam, how about you walk a girl to get a cab." Kacey slipped her arm through Sam's. "Nell, I'll call you later." She added as she practically dragged the much larger man away leaving Callen still laughing and Nell looking decidedly horrified.

"She's quite something." Callen said when Sam and Kacey had left.

"All I'll say is it's never boring with her around." Nell nodded.

"So, another?" Callen indicated to her empty glass and Nell nodded. She had a feeling she was going to need a drink after what she was planning to do. Callen stopped the waitress and ordered their drinks before shifting in the seat to face her, his eyes searching her face, trying to understand what she was thinking.

"Callen, I like you…as more than a friend." Nell stated suddenly. "And I know you feel the same way about me." She held his gaze, determined not to shy away, and she was rewarded with a small smile tugging at his lips and his eyes brightening.

"Are you always this forward?" Callen chuckled, knowing he shouldn't be surprised by her but still finding he was. Here he was thinking of how to tell her and she just does it for him.

"Am I wrong?" Nell asked.

"No." he shook his head. "You're not wrong." He told her reached out and trailed his fingers softly down her cheek, eliciting a small gasp from Nell. She may have verbally made the first move but he wanted to show her he was right there with her.

Nell took a moment to gather her wits then met his gaze again, her heart racing as she saw how intensely he was looking at her.

"I know there's a chance that…" she trailed off as Callen leaned closer to her and cupped her cheek with his hand, his thumb stroking her skin, not taking his eyes off her for even a second. Nell cleared her throat, determined to get out what she wanted to say but finding it harder and harder to formulate thoughts under his gentle ministrations.

"I mean, we work together and…"

"Shhhh." Callen silenced her with a finger over her lips then closed the distance between them and placed a soft, gentle kiss on her lips, his free hand finding its way to her other cheek to hold her head still. He pulled back after a few seconds, his lips hovering just millimetres from hers.

Though the brief kiss she had given Callen the night before had electrified her, she never imagined she could feel quite like she did now. Her whole body was alive, her heart was racing and she wanted nothing more than to keep kissing him. But he was teasing her, holding his lips just out of reach of hers. Impatiently, Nell slid her hands up behind his neck and tugged him closer. With a slight grin, Callen resumed the kiss, content that she wanted him to, and this time it was filled with more passion as she responded to him, parting her lips and moaning softly as he kissed her deeper.

When they finally parted, in need of air, Callen flashed Nell a lopsided smile as he lowered his hands.

"Now, what was it you were saying?" he asked.

Nell gazed at Callen, her eyes slightly hooded, lips swollen and a flush in her cheeks.

"It doesn't matter." She whispered to him as she leaned in for another kiss.

"No." Callen chuckled and pulled back. "I very rudely interrupted you when you were trying to talk to me." He saw her pout slightly as she continued to lean in and he felt a strange sense of pride that after just one good kiss she couldn't get enough. "So, what did you want to say?" he asked again.

"Shut up and kiss me."

**There it is - and by way of an authors note, I decided not to go into the whole, 'how do the rest of the team find out' coz I've done it in other stories and this is a little bit different. Hope you're not too disappointed :)**


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